This week in education news, more than 80% of parents in the U.S. support the teaching of climate change; new study provides a window into teachers’ beliefs about grading; Congresswomen Dingell and Brownley introduced legislation to promote education programs focused on climate to improve the public’s understanding of changes; new survey finds that over a third of teachers say they would prefer to negotiate salary and benefits for themselves; expecting 10th-graders to have the knowledge and skills that would allow them to succeed in the first year of community college, demanding more of university teacher preparation programs and pairing struggling schools with high-performing ones are among the lessons U.S. districts can learn from leading education systems across the world; survey of 2,000 elementary schools in three states found that not much advanced content is actually being taught to gifted students; teachers are skeptical about ed tech’s impact on classrooms; and teachers are paid less than similar professional.

Most Teachers Don’t Teach Climate Change; 4 In 5 Parents Wish They Did

More than 80% of parents in the U.S. support the teaching of climate change. And that support crosses political divides, according to the results of an exclusive new NPR/Ipsos poll: Whether they have children or not, two-thirds of Republicans and 9 in 10 Democrats agree that the subject needs to be taught in school. Read the article featured on NPR.org.

No zeroes, accepting late work among recent shifts in teachers’ grading practices

A new study of a professional development effort in two high schools shows teachers are reluctant to change some of their long-held beliefs about evaluating student work. Read the article featured in Education DIVE.

What Does Your School Schedule Say About Equity? More Than You Think

In Fall 2017, when Hoover High School in San Diego’s Unified School District began building the next year’s master schedule, school leaders discovered something concerning. Some of the students who needed extra support—English learners, special-education students, and others in need of academic interventions—were more likely to be scheduled in larger classes with less experienced teachers. They were also significantly underrepresented in Advanced Placement courses, and were often separated from other students throughout the day because of how their intervention blocks were scheduled. This problem is not unique to Hoover. A growing body of research shows that outcomes for students diverge not just within districts, but within individual classrooms and schools. Read the article featured in EdSurge.

On Earth Day, Dingell & Brownley Introduce Bill to Promote Climate Literacy, Education

On Earth Day, Congresswomen Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced legislation to promote education programs focused on climate to improve the public’s understanding of changes. The Climate Change Education Act creates a grant program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to assist state and local education agencies, institutions of higher education, and professional associations to improve climate literacy. Read the press release.

Should Teachers Be Able to Negotiate Their Own Contracts?

Just over a third of teachers say they would prefer to negotiate salary and benefits for themselves, according to a newly released survey from a group that advocates for choice in union membership. And teachers under the age 35 are significantly more likely than older teachers to want to negotiate their own contract. Read the article featured in Education Week.

What Really Keeps Girls of Color Out of STEM

In a field dominated by white men, racial and cultural isolation is a hidden barrier. Read the article featured in Education Week.

How US can model top-performing international ed systems

U.S. student performance lags behind that of other nations. Experts say pairing struggling schools with high-performing ones is a method at work in other countries that district leaders can execute. Read the article featured in Education DIVE.

A School Makerspace Inspires STEM Invention Everywhere

Today’s focus on STEM seems irrevocably linked to the makerspace movement. Educators have seen students thrive when they experiment with tools and technology to create various objects. Building these creative spaces can seem daunting to district leaders who face traditional curricular objectives and a list of must-have equipment. But by answering some key questions, leaders can avoid costly mistakes as they design high- and low-tech makerspaces that energize teachers and students. Read the article featured in District Administration.

Gifted classes may not help talented students move ahead faster

Survey finds emphasis on developing “creativity” and “critical thinking” instead of acceleration above grade level. Read the article featured in The Hechinger Report.

Survey: Teachers remain lukewarm on ed tech’s impact on classrooms

Educators remain cautious of the hype around ed tech, with less than a third reporting that they’ve changed their teaching styles or philosophies based on ed tech innovations. Read the brief featured in Education DIVE.

Teachers Are Paid Less Than Similar Professionals. See the Breakdown by State.

In the last two decades, the average weekly wages of public school teachers, adjusted for inflation, have decreased, while the weekly wages of other college graduates have risen. That’s according to an analysis by Economic Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank supported partially by teachers’ unions. The teacher weekly wage penalty reached a record 21.4 percent in 2018. Teachers do get better benefits than other college-educated workers—but even after factoring those into the analysis, the total teacher compensation penalty was 13.1 percent in 2018. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

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